Yellow-crowned Night Heron

(Nyctanassa violacea)

Where: Virginia Beach, VA • Great Neck Park

Notes: Recently on an overnight trip to Norfolk, I had a few minutes to goof-off because I had arrived a bit early. So, I searched the internet for the nearest green spot that had some waterfront. I found and entered the coordinates into my GPS and arrived at Great Neck Park within a few minutes. I knew the lighting along most of the wet areas would be in my face that afternoon. But with the minimal amount of time I had, I thought I would at least scout out the area and enjoy some time outdoors. I found a pathway that followed along the water's edge and past a couple of picnic areas. It eventually ended in a grassy area near a gazebo. Behind it was a pathway to the edge of the water where a narrow cove was draining from the receding tide. At the edge of the grass near the shoreline stood this "Yellow-crown". Night Herons are a medium sized heron at about two feet tall. It kept a close eye on me, until something else got its attention. Suddenly, the heron hopped over to a log in the middle of the cove and grabbed a fiddler crab from the muddy bottom below. Its thick bill made an easy meal of the crustacean. Then it stepped back onto its new perch and seemed to relax. Without warning it stretched out its neck and every feather from its head, half way down its back, stood straight up in the air. I have seen Great Blue Herons do a similar thing after swallowing a large fish, but this bird caught me completely off guard and all I captured was the tail end of the action.